dorsal/arxiv
View SchemaMaking sense of a world of clicks
| Authors | Ulrich Mohrhoff |
|---|---|
| Categories | |
| ArXiv ID | quant-ph/0202148 |
| URL | https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0202148 |
| DOI | 10.1023/A:1019775404748 |
| Journal | Found Phys 32(8), 1295-1311 (2002) |
Abstract
In a recent article O. Ulfbeck and A. Bohr (Foundations of Physics 31, 757, 2001) have stressed the genuine fortuitousness of detector clicks, which has also been pointed out, in different terms, by the present author (American Journal of Physics 68, 728, 2000). In spite of this basic agreement, the present article raises objections to the presuppositions and conclusions of Ulfbeck and Bohr, in particular their rejection of the terminology of indefinite variables, their identification of reality with "the world of experience," their identification of experience with what takes place "on the spacetime scene," and the claim that their interpretation of quantum mechanics is "entirely liberated" from classical notions. An alternative way of making sense of a world of uncaused clicks is presented. This does not invoke experience but deals with a free-standing reality, is not fettered by classical conceptions of space and time but introduces adequate ways of thinking about the spatiotemporal aspects of the quantum world, and does not reject indefinite variables but clarifies the implications of their existence.
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"abstract": "In a recent article O. Ulfbeck and A. Bohr (Foundations of Physics 31, 757,\n2001) have stressed the genuine fortuitousness of detector clicks, which has\nalso been pointed out, in different terms, by the present author (American\nJournal of Physics 68, 728, 2000). In spite of this basic agreement, the\npresent article raises objections to the presuppositions and conclusions of\nUlfbeck and Bohr, in particular their rejection of the terminology of\nindefinite variables, their identification of reality with \"the world of\nexperience,\" their identification of experience with what takes place \"on the\nspacetime scene,\" and the claim that their interpretation of quantum mechanics\nis \"entirely liberated\" from classical notions. An alternative way of making\nsense of a world of uncaused clicks is presented. This does not invoke\nexperience but deals with a free-standing reality, is not fettered by classical\nconceptions of space and time but introduces adequate ways of thinking about\nthe spatiotemporal aspects of the quantum world, and does not reject indefinite\nvariables but clarifies the implications of their existence.",
"arxiv_id": "quant-ph/0202148",
"authors": [
"Ulrich Mohrhoff"
],
"categories": [
"quant-ph"
],
"doi": "10.1023/A:1019775404748",
"journal_ref": "Found Phys 32(8), 1295-1311 (2002)",
"title": "Making sense of a world of clicks",
"url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/quant-ph/0202148"
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